The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-06


blazing eyes at this inuendo.
mo thanks to you. Dick Bufford. Think how
you have served meme! Think what have |
endured because l was once weak enough to |
trust you.h
As this confession slipped from her lips, they |
trembled under its influence, despite the revul-
siye anger with which his presence inspired her.
dis eye never left her face as, playing with MS
watchchain. he replied:
s'How many had shared your love before l
came along2 There, there Don't get excited
You couldn't help getting jealous. and when |
| left you in Atlanta, never thought we'd turn
up together again on this footstool You wouldn't
| let me so much as wink without quarrel, and
| finally soured on it."
s'Why are YOU here?"
| She demanded this in a quick, peremptory
tone, flashing glance toward the smithy, then
fixing her eyes on his handsome, imperturbable
/ face
I'm cauging for the government Am to be
here for week. May stay longer, now I've
seen you. Blame me, Meg, but mountain life
agrees with you! You're prettier than ever"
In an easy yet imperative way, which she
/ seemed powerless to oppose, he took her dimpied
/ chin between thumb and finger, and looked at
| her with kindling light in his eyes, then re-
leased her. saying:
II a fool to run away from you Meg. my
| girl. III have better sense this time"
The cry of an infant came to their ears from
the holIy-bush by the spring The wretched
| mother, ror sed from the spell which his manner
! and words eat: thrown over her, in spite of the
reproacEes she cast upon him. darted back
step with averted face, crying wildly.
go away from here, Dick Bufford. 1 am
wife and mother. My husband works in yon-
| der shop. You have my reputation In your
power but say beware how you handle It, I'm
a desperate woman. Dick This is my home
and shelter. You left me none when you for
sock me three years ago. Oh, Dick! For Gods
sake spare me for--for the sake of my husband
and child. If not for your own sake or mine"
| The passionate anger with which she began
melted into piteous appeal as she started TO-
-. II .r1l 1N~ rhnron
she stopped though electric shock had per-
vaded her system, while he said:
ON it, Meg! I glory in your spunk. Carry
it out to suit yourself, and don't fear me. III
I'm your friend now. Blame me! but you're the
pluckist woman in the State, and Dick Bufford
is your slave"
Having thus delivered himself he let her 60,
and stroled back towards the shop smiling and
soliioquizng:
Meg in the respectable Incl She carries it
well, considering it's her first attempt D-n
me- but she's u thoroughbred! She must have
been hard pushed, though. to saddle herself with
this thick pated son of Vulcan for a-a-hus
band didn't she say? Fancy Meg with hus
band! And now there's squalling brat to COM
plicate matters. Poor thing. She's been in the
work long she's got used to this state of affairs
and thinks I'll interfere. Maybe l will. Meg.
my girl, begin to that you're the woman
for me after all. But you won't fear me wheE
| do interfere. Oh, no; know you too we'll"
He entered the shop, chartered easily with
honest, unsuspect Jim until his horse was ready,
then mounting, rode down the mountain side,
humming the thread-bare air OF Sweet Vic.
let's"
Darthuly Cheek grasped her crying baby with
fierce nervousness of manner. and sat sooth-
ing it mechanically. Through her mind forbid
den thoughts and impulses, long dormant, were
rising tumultousy over the contenred apathy of
feeling that, since her marriage had superb
cially reiened within heart by nature. fervid
jealous, imDulsive, and now. alas! rebelous
against the renunciative faith wherein the
burity of womanhood so often finds refuge
against passion and desire. Her only audible
exclamation was:
God held 1 cannot help myself
PART
For the next few days the course of events
ran smoothly the surface. Dick Bufford,
, with lou1uacious urbanitv soon made himself a
! general favorte. At the still house knot of
I admirers usually gathered round him at leisure
s hours while many of his Inland savings be-
came IA current conversational coin to be Tipped
| from tongue to tongue accompanied by slow
| horse play of bucolic wit and laughter.
Bile 1eeters. the proprietor of the still house,
Flowed that Dick Bufford had more in the
holler side of his noddle than all the balance of
Uncle Sans gaugers rolled inter one. He's
l. | pintedly got sense enuff to let whisky alone.
e just a dram now and then, nothn more. and
K barls of hit settin' round. Oh, he's master
, man"
a The fact that man could be a gauger and
not q drunkard presented to Mr.. Teeters's ina e
t ination the juxtaposition of qualities humanity
g recognizable only on the score OF superlative
abilities. jim Cheek was carried away by
J. Dicks transcendant ceverness, that, when the
latter in careless way, suggested boarding with
him during the brief time his official duties rem
dered his stay imperative, our honest blacks 18th
assented at once.
l. Don't you bring him here" said Darthuly to
9 her husband that night, when he announced
u that Butford would bring his traps up ter
r morrer."
r Jim gazed at bis wife in mild-eyed astonish
> men,, and noticed that she looked pale ant
worried.
:, THAR now, Darthuly, We do look pestered
s. but hit won't be for more nor week. Money!
n money, these yer hard times, and I'll help y,
IS when l can get outen the shop"
# Don't We bring him here" she said plead
1t ingy. placing her hands on his shoulders ant
e looking earnestly at him. He totally failed Il
comprehend the nature of her disapproval, ant
n said, mildly:
$ Hits already agreed on. 1 can't very wei
q back down now. But don't see why We Shout,
be so pestered about it, Darthuly"
n She withdrew her hands. and her great, darl
a eyes blazed potulantiy as she replied:
IT 'Ef that thar Teller comes here. Jim Cheek
d ana anything wrong comes of it--'member w
ID warned ye"
10 She withdrew abruptly to the kitchen leavin
jim to look after her regretfully, he scratches
v his head and acknowledged himself tina
le women were powerful curious A can
sr jst never tell which side of the fence theyr
ID | a-goin ter lean agin."
Bufford soon made himself quite as much a
d home there he bad elsewhere. Darthul
k avoided him, seldom speaking to him, excep
s. when necessary; state of things which he ie
A. nored by treating her with systematic deferenc
N and poiteness. This becams grateful to her il
In its very contrast to the boorish absence 0
IN courtesy prevalent among the mountaineers
" Even jim, with the kindest of hearts, had fey
le of the minor urbanities of manner that smoot
social intercourse under unfavorable creum
ne stances He was loving and true, yet he neve
k; handed her a chair, offered to get water, O
IL deferred gracefully to her varied whims, a
e. Bufford constantly did. regardless of her col
IS Indifference or studied Ignoring of his civilties
or ..Why DnrthulYn said linn ono day rzha